New Ruler of Damascus: We Won’t Turn Syria into Another Afghanistan / We Believe in Women’s Education
Bayan News – Ahmad Shar’a, known as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, head of Tahrir al-Sham and the new ruler of Damascus, stated that, unlike the Taliban, he strongly believes in the education of women and girls.
The leader of Tahrir al-Sham, in an interview with BBC News on Wednesday (December 18), referred to the education of women in Idlib province in northwestern Syria:
“We have had universities in Idlib for more than eight years. I believe over 60% of the students in these universities are women.”
Jolani emphasized that, unlike the Taliban leaders, the new Syrian government will never prevent women and girls from pursuing education.
The leader of Tahrir al-Sham, who recently took control of Damascus, highlighted that he does not intend to establish a Taliban-style government in Syria.
He explained that Afghanistan and Syria are very different countries with distinct traditions, adding:
“Afghanistan is a tribal society, whereas Syria has a different social structure.”
According to Jolani, under the new administration, Syria will not pose a threat to its neighbors or the world, as the people of the country are weary of war.
The Tahrir al-Sham leader also called for the lifting of sanctions against Syria and stated that Tahrir al-Sham should no longer be considered a terrorist organization because, in his view, it is not.
However, many countries, particularly Western nations, are concerned that Jolani, given his past affiliation with Al Qaeda, may establish a radical Islamic government in Syria that restricts civil liberties, particularly those of women. Despite this, Jolani insists that he believes in women’s right to education.
Reports indicate that Jolani initially began his activities during the Syrian civil war as a commander of an Al Qaeda branch. In 2016, he announced his split from the network and established the Nusra Front, which he later renamed Tahrir al-Sham.
The group led by Jolani has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Russia, and other countries.
